Antiskid chain



May 22, 1928, 1,670,528

F. c. CARPENTER ANTISKID CHAIN Filed Dec. 31, 1925 Patented May 22, 1928i.

UNITED OFFICE.

application mea December s1, 1925.` semi no. 78,514.

My invention relates to improvements in anti-skidding devices for use with vehicle tires and has for one of its objects the provision of means adapted for easy removal and interchangeability of portions of the cross chains forming part of the device.

Another object is to provide a device of the class described having cross chains comprising a plurality of parts and means 'for easy reversal or removal of the parts whereby the wear upon such cross chains can be equalized by turning such parts end for end.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described having cross chains intersecting at the tread of the tire and connected by a member providing means which p ermits engagement and disengagement between the intersecting cross chains when the device is in inoperative position and which prevents such engagement and disengagement when the device is in operative position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described having two part cross chains diagonally disposed over the tire tread which intersect at the center of the tread with other cross chains and are connected at their intersection by means which has a plurality of projections adapted to ositively engage the roadway surface an prevent undue skidding of the tire overv the surface of the roadway.

Another object is to provide a device of the class described having cross chain units made u of a plurality of interchangeable, reversib y-mounted, detachable segments so arranged that in the event one of such segments becomes broken o r accidentally detached, the remaining segments of the unit are so arranged and constructed as to effectually function to prevent skidding.

Another object is to provide a device having cross chains intersecting and connected so that the stresses set up by their resistance` to skiddin are substantially direct tensile stresses an not transverse bending stresses.

A still further object is to provide a chain of the class described which will tend to prevent skidding` equally as well laterally as longitudinally of the direction of travel.

Still another object is to generally improve chains of the class described.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the typical details of construction and in the arrangement and Fig. 3, is an enlarged section on the line 3 3 of 1, and

Fig. 4, 1s an enlarged detail of the means provided for fastening the diagonall extending cross chains to the periphera rim chains.

Referring to Fig. 1, the invention will be described as applied to a pneumatic tire, 10, only a portion of which being necessarily disclosed for this purpose.

A pair of peripheral rim chains, 11, extend around the edges of the tire in the usual manner and are connected preferably at regular intervals by a pair of intersecting, two-part, cross chains, 14. A connecting element, 13, preferably taking the form of a ring, as shown, and positioned at the junction of the Vintersecting chains, 14, serves as a means for connection for the twoart chains of each intersecting cross chain.

ach part of the cross chain, 14', has a hook, 15, detachably mounted on'each end. The side. chains, 11, are provided at intervals with connecting rings, 16, to which 'the outer ends of the cross chains are fastened by the hooks, 15, in a manner to be hereinafter more particularly described. The intersecting ends of the cross chains are likewise connected to the ring, 13, in a similar manner.

The spacing of the rings, 16, in the chain,

11 is preferably made such that the cross chains intersect at an angle of substantially ninety degrees.

The two parts of the cross chain, 14,- bein identical and h\aving a hook 15, on each en can be intercha ged or the ends. reversed for the purpose ofllequalizing the wear. They los f can, likewise, be replaced by or interchanged with any other cross chain, 14, when the chain is in inoperative position.

The hooks, 15, are equally well adapted for engagement with the central ring, 13, or with the rings, 16, which form a portion of the rim chains, 11.A Provision is rmade y inoperative position and for preventing its for easy attachment of the cross chain, 14, four substantiall midway between. .the to the ring, 16,when the cross chain is in hooksl when 1n t eir inoperative posltlon.

Two of the latter are at the respective elonaccidental detachment While'in this posigated cross sectional portions formed b the tion. Likewise, provision is made for pregrooves, 18. By this arrangement o the venting either accidental or intentional disgrooves, 18, any one of the hooks, 15, can be engagement of the cross chain 14, from the removed by only a small movement circumring, 16, When the chain is in its operative ferentially of the ring, and the arrangeposition. For this purpose the rings, 16, ment of the lugs, prevents accidental disenare each provided with a pairof lugs, 17 gagement of the hooks in either operative or and-the axial diameter of the cross section inoperative position. of the ring is diminished by the grooves 18,I The lugs, 17 which are positioned upon at a portion substantially midway betWeen\the rings,'13, serve as a stop or holding dethe lugs. The cross section of the rings at vice which keeps the hooks, 15 in their propthe grooves 18, is maintained substantially er relative circumferential position upon equal to the circular cross section by making the rings. The lugs are preferabl of the the ring deeper at the xgrooves and thereby general shape of the frustrum o a cone forming an elongated cross sect-ion. with the small end tapered to a point and In Fig. 4, the hooks, 15 are shown in posiare high enough to project above-the hooks,

tion upon the ring, 16, with the lugs, 17 be- 15. In inoperative position of the device, tween the arms of the hook, the lugs therevthey positively engagev and indent the roadby serving as a stop to prevent movement of way surface and thereby increase theV antithe hooks circumferential-ly around the ring. skidding eiiiciency of the cross chains. The hooks, 15 are generally U-shaped with They also minimize the abrasion upon the the free ends of the arms turned back to body of the rings, 13, and protect the cross loosely fit and partially encircle the ring, 16. chains from excessive Wear.

The turn back of the arms of the hook, 15, The free ends of the hook, 15, are turned is slight-ly more than 180 degrees, thereby out at their tips sufficiently to be substanmaking the space between the free ends of tially iush with the tips of the lu s, 17. A the arms and the body of the hook less than lug, 19, is placed upon each arm o the hook the diameter of the circular solid ring porin such position as to be immediately over tion and greater than the small dimension of the body portion of the ring, 13. The lugs, the elongated cross section at the grooves, 17 and 19, and the projectm free ends of 18, and also greater than the maximum dithe hooks, 15, combine to orm a means ameter of the lugs. The hook, 15, can be .which engages the roadway surface positivemounted upon the ring, 16, onl by turning ly and functions as a device tendin to prethe hook so that it is substantially parallel vent skidding in any direction a o ng the with the axis of thering and then inserting roadway.

the grooved portion of the ring between the In the event either section of the two-part free ends and the MUIS 0f the h00k- The cross chains, 14, becomes broken, it can easily hOOk iS then IIIOVed lcumferelltially be removed by disengagement from the ring, around the ring until the lug, 17, is poS- 16, with the device in its operative position. tioned between the two free ends of the The two intersecting cross chains comprise hook where itis then rotated to its operunits of four connected chain portions which ative position best indicated in Fig. 4. Rewill continue to function temporarily as tenmoval of the ring from the hook is accomsion members resisting any tendency to skid plished by the reverse process, and since the even though one of the four portions is rehookl can be-removedmonl'ywhen in the posimoved. The missing portion can be retion described, there is no possibility of its placed when it is convenient to do so and becoming detached when the cross `chain is when the intersecting ends of the cross in its operative position, and ractically imchains appear worn, they can be reversed possible that it will become isplaced acciand the life of the device thereby prolon ed.

lisis dentally when the vchain is in inoperative position. v take the strains directly in tension and not The rings, 13, are preferably of the same in bending as is the case where the cross cross sectional diameter as the rings, 16, but chains run transversely. Severe strains are of larger main diameter. Each of the thereby avoided and smaller chains can be rings, 13, are provided with two pairs vof used than would otherwise be practicable.

grooves, 18, identical with the grooves on This economy is further augmented by the the rings, 16, the two pairs being oppositely lugs on the central rings taking the brunt of disposed as indicated 1n Fig. 1. The rin the shock caused by contact with ahard road 13, is provided with. a plurality of lugs 1 surface.

preferably eight in number, arranged so It is thought that the operation and utilthat there is one between the arms of each ity of the device will be apparent without of the four hooks, 15, attached thereto and further description, and while in the draw- By arranging the chains diagonally, t ey ings there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the structural elements are susceptible to such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Means for connectingr the adjacent ends of a plurality of cross chains of an anti-skid device together, said means comprising a ring having lugs formed at diametrically opposite points and a substantially U-shaped connecting element connecting each of said cross chains with one of the portions of the ring having a lug thereon, said U-shaped elements each terminating to provide hooks one on either side of the lug for the purpose described.

2. Means for connecting the adjacent ends of a plurality of cross chains of an anti-skid device together said means comprising a ring having lugs formed at diametrically opposite points and extending parallel to the axis of the ring, and a substantially U-shaped element connecting each of said cross chains with one of the portions of the ring` having a lug thereon, said U-sha el elements each terniinating to provide iooks one on either side of the lug for the purpose described.

3. Means for connecting the adjacent ends of a plurality of cross chains of an anti-skid device together, said means comprising a ring having lugs formed at diametrically 0pposite points'and extending parallel to the axis of the ring and having a groove lying in the same plane as the body of the ring, and a substantially U-shaped element connecting each of said cross chains with one of the portions of the ring having a lug thereon, said U-shaped elements each terminating to provide hooks by turning the ends back upon the body of the element, the distance between the ends of said hooks and the body of the element being greater than the thickness of the ring at the groove and less than its thickness between said grooves, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

FORREST C. CARPENTER. 

